Plastic louver for fluorescent lights



Dec. 18, 195] K SCHOENBROD 2,579,015

PLASTIC LOUVER FOR FLUORESCENT LIGHTS Filed Allg. 12, 1949 2 SPEETS-SHEET l Dec. 18, 1951 L. K. scHox-:NBROD 2,579,015

PLASTIC LOUVER FOR FLUORESCENT LIGHTS Filed Aug. l2, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Dec. 18, 1951 PLASTIC LOUVER FOR FLUORESCENT Y LIGHTS Leslie Schoebrod, Chicago, Ill., assigirio'r' to' Electro Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, Ill.,a'corporationof'Delaware f- 1 Application'August 12, 1949, Serial- No. 109,961

4 Claims. y(Cl. 240-51.11)

My invention relates to a louver which is made of molded plastic and which may be used for any size of uorescent lightingixture. Among the objects oi" my invention` are to provide a louver for nuorescent lights which constructed of a molded plasticmaterial which will resist heat and will not warp and which provides greater lighting efiiciency than. afmetallic louver; to` provide a plastic louver section which` may be combined with as many additional sections as desired without the use ci screws orsimilar fastening devices on the louver sections to provide a simpler, lighter and more economical louver for fluorescent lights and to provide a plastic louver `which may be simply and easily installed ina basket-likehinged frame for simplicity and economy in constructionand maintenance.

My invention also 4'comprises such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are` inherently possessed by my invention.

, While I have shown in` the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment ofl my invention, yet it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change Without departing from the Sllii G i my invention.

A Referring to the drawings, Fig. l is a top plan view ,of one` ofhmy, louverrsections; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view ofY the same; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View of two of my louver sections joined together; Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional View of my entire assembled device, taken on line ll-fi of Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of my device partly broken away; Fig'. 6 isa top plan View of my device partly broken away; Fig. 7 isa partial end View 'of my device, showingthe louverirame suspended. from one pivot `in dotted lines; Fig. 8 is a broken detailed View of my frame and Fig. 9 is a broken detailed sectional view of my frame. A

A preferred embodiment of my invention 'comprises a plastic louver section I0, which is preferably formed by molding polystyrene or other suitable material having a thickness of approximately l thick. Louver section lcomprises 64 openings varranged 4x16, each opening having dimensions of 1"x11/2". The three 'center longitudinal walls Il, I2 and I3 of louver section I0 are 1H in height, while the extreme longitudinal side walls I4 and I5 are 1/2" in height. 5

2. tion I0 for approximately height of'side wan I4. l

The upper halves of endV walls i8 'and I9 of louver section I0 are set back'eapproxiinately l adjacent bosses Iand IT." All of the horizontal walls of louver section l0 entend'betweenthe extreme side walls M andl and do not overlap 1/8`" for 'the entire or extend beyond them.

In use, two of my louv'er sections I0 'may be combined to form a plastic louv'erl' is accomplished byA inverting one louve section lil and placing it adjac'entfanother louverisectio'n Ill so that the bosses I'S and `i1 of each louver sec'-V tion lit on top of each other.` The outwardly extending portions of 'the bossesl I6 and Il nt within the setback portions' of the end walls I8 and I9 of theY adjoining l'olive section.

The Vextreme longitudinal side wall Moi one louter section ts on top of the extreme longitudinal side Wall l5 ofthe other louver section. The result i's that the longitudinal side walls, which are one-half of vthe height of the Vcenter longitudinal walls. combine to form a single vlongitudinal wall of the same height as the center longitudinal walls.

To hold my plastic lo'uver` whenassembled, I provide a metallic basket-like frame20. Frame 2li is composed of two' longitudinal U-shaped members 2l and 22, `Each end of U-shaped members 2l and 22' provided with a pairo'f projections 23 and 2Q, which extend outwardly at right angles thereto and which are provided with screw threaded openings "25 and 2E. The U-shaped members 2l and 22 are slightlyover 1 wide and approximately 1A d'ee'p.

Connecting U-shaped members 2| and 22 -'is a cross member 2l which Lcomprises'a paii oi shorter` U`shaped portions of "the same dimensions as U-shaped members `2`l and 22, 'said portions being positioned back toback, with their open portions facing the ends "of rame-2. Cross member 21 is attachedto U-shaped members 2| and 22 by means of small flanges or screws or otherA suitable fastening" means.

`Two of my l'ouver sections lil, when combined in the manner described above, may' be inserted into frame 21'!V by sliding them Aintothe U-shaped members 2| and 22 from the open end until their opposite ends are held within one of the shorter U-shaped portions of cross member 21. The louver sections I0 are then iirmly held on three sides by frame 20. Another pair of louver sections |00 may be inserted into the opposite end of frame 20 in' the same manner.`

The ends of frame 20 are covered by a lpair of end plates 28. End plate 28 is provided at two corners with a pair of openings 29 and 30, which are so positioned as to match the screw thread-Y ed openings 25 and 26 of frame 29. A pair of screws may be inserted through openings 2E and 39 and screwed into openings 25 and 25 to hold endv plate 2S to frame 2U.

At the center of end plate 28 is mounted a U- shaped bracket 3 I, which faces toward the louver sections l0 which are positioned within frame 29. When end plate 2S is attached to frame 29 in the mamier set forth above, bracket 3| ts over the bosses of the two louver sections IIJ and holds them firmly together. This provides a fourth edge grip on the two louver sections, thus holding them firmly in place without the use of screws or other similar fastening means.

Mounted within end plate 28 adjacent openings 29 and 30 are two spring members 32 and 33.`

Spring members 32 and"33 are firmly mounted at one end to' end plate 2B by means of rivets or other rigid fastening means.' They are curved to provide a resilient action. At their ends, spring members 32 and 33 have round openings 34 and 35, beyond which they are curved in the opposite direction to provide finger portions 33 and 3l. Openings 34 and 35 are positioned adjacent the edge of end plate 28 and finger portions 36 and 3l extend beyond the edge of end plate 29.

Myplastic louver and frame are attached to a fluorescent light through the use of a special light bracket 38, which is attached to a conventional uorescent light fixture. Light bracket 38 Vis designed to t within an opening in end plate 28 in such a manner that its edges slip beneath the edges of the opening in end plate 23.

Light bracket 38 is provided at two corners with a pair of pivots 39 and 49, which are round and which project inwardly for slightly over 1/4.

In order to attach'my frame 29 to the fluorescent light, end plate 28 must be attached to light bracket 38. This is accomplished by depressing each of the nger portions 36 and 3l' of spring members 32 and 33 to 'permit light bracket 38 to fit into the opening in end plate 23. Spring members 32 and 33 are pulled away from'end plate 28 far enough to permit the pivots 39 and llt to be passed over ringer portions 36 and 3l and to then extend into openings 34 and 35 when finger portions 36 and 31 are released. End plate 28 is then suspended'from light bracket 3B by pivots 39 and d. Pivots 39 and 139 cannot slip out of openings '36 and 45 accidently, since finger portions 39 and 3l' must be depressed in order to release them.

In order to clean my plastic louver, the user need only depress one of finger portions 3B and 3l on each of the two end plates 28. This will permit one of the pivots 39 or 40 to be released from its opening and pass over the depressed inger portion. When this has been done, my frame 2t and plastic louver will swing downwardly and be suspended at a right angle, held by only the remaining two pivots. This permits the louver to be cleaned from both sides. It may then be re-attached by reversing the above procedure.

In order to improve the appearance of my plastic louver, I provide a pair of side plates 4| and l2 for my frame 29, which are held in place by the edges of end plates 28 and by means of hooks which are punched out of U-shaped mem bers 2l and 22 andY which grip an'inturned edge of side plates 4l and 42 to hold them more rmly n-p1ace-- s For the purpose of illustration herein, I have shown how two of my louver sections l0 may be combined. It should be understood that one louver section alone may be used or that any number of these sections may be combined by providing bosses I6 and l'l on each side of louver section l0. Customarily, louver sections I0 are made with bosses i6 and Il on each side and the bosses are milled off if they are not used.

In use, any number of my louver sections lil may be combined horizontally in this manner and any number may be combined longitudinally through the use of additional cross brackets 3|.

My plastic louver provides a cut-olf of 45 horizontally and 30 longitudinally, thus eliminating glare from the fluorescent bulb. Because it is l composed of polystyrene or similar molded plastic material of es thickness, it has translucent transmitted through the louver instead of being completely cut off.

If a metallic louver were used, the squares of the louver would completely block the light which struck the louver except for reflection. Through the use of my plastic louver, a portion of this light is saved by transmission through the plastic material. It has'been found that my plastic louver may increase the efficiency of the fluorescent lighting fixture on which it is used by as much as 30 to 40 percent.

With the use of my plastic louver, a considerable transmission factor exists, which results in a better even surface brightness. With a metallic louver, the louver itself is dead in appearance when the light is glowing, while my plastic louver appears to glow with a luminescent effect.

Another advantage of my plastic louver is that it need not be coated with paint or other surface coating material.- t is a pure white in color when made and needs no coating whatsover.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A louver for fluorescent lighting xtures comprising a plurality of louver sections composed of translucent plastic material, each of said louver sections having a plurality of box-like openings, each of said louver sections having a shortened side wall of a height equal to one-half that of the louver section, each of said louver sections having a pair of bosses at the opposite ends of said shortened side wall, said shortened sidewalls and bosses fitting on top of each other to form a louver, a basket-like frame holding said louver, said frame comprising a pair of parallel longitudinal members U-shaped in cross section and a transverse cross member having a pair of shorter portions U-shaped in cross section facing the ends of said frame, a pair of end plates removably attached to said frame, each of said end plates having mounted therein a bracket, said bracket iitting over and holding the bosses of said louver sections together, each of said end plates having a pair of spring members mounted therein, each of said spring members having an opening adjacent its end, and means comprising a pair of end brackets adjacent said end plates for removably attaching said louver to a uorescent lighting fixture, each of said end brackets having a pair of inwardly projecting pivots, said spring members depressible by manual pressure to provide room for said pivots to pass and enter the openings in said spring members, said spring members when released holding said pivots securely within said openings against accidental displacement.

2. A louver for fluorescent lighting xtures comprising a plurality of louver sections composed of translucent plastic material, each of said louver sections having a plurality of box-like openings, each of said louver sections having a shortened side Wall of a height equal to one-half that of the louver section, each of said louver sections having a pair of bosses at the opposite ends of said shortened side wall, said shortened side Walls having bosses fitting on top of each other to form a louver, a basket-like frame to hold said louver, said frame comprising a pair of parallel longitudinal members U-shaped in cross section and a transverse cross member having a pair of shorter portions U-shaped in cross section facing the ends of said frame, la pair of end plates removably attached to said frame, each of said end plates having mounted therein a bracket, said bracket iitting over and holding the bosses of said louver section together, each of said end plates having a pair of openings, and means comprising a pair of end brackets adjacent said end plates for removably attaching said louver to a fluorescent lighting fixture, each of said end brackets having a pair of pivots extending therefrom, said pivots insertible Within said openings to suspend said frame from said end brackets.

3. A louver for iluorescent lightingfixtures comprising a plurality of louver sections composed of translucent plastic material, each of said louver sections having a plurality of box-like openings, each of said louver sections having a shortened side Wall of a height equal to one-half that of the louver section, each of said louver sections having a pair of bosses at the opposite ends of said shortened side Wall, said shortened side Walls having bosses fitting on top of each other to form a louver, a basket-like frame to hold said louver, said frame comprising a pair of parallel longitudinal members U-shaped in cross section and a transverse cross member having a pair of Shorter portions U-shaped in cross section facing the ends of said frame, and a pair of end plates removably attached to said frame, each of said end plates having mounted therein a bracket, said bracket fitting over and holding the bosses of said louver sections together and means for removably attaching said louver to a fluorescent lighting xture.

4. A louver for fluorescent lighting xtures comprising a plurality of louver sections composed of translucent plastic material, each of said louver sections having a plurality of box-like openings, each of said louver sections having a shortened side Wall of a height equal to one-half that of the louver section, each of said louver sections having a pair of bosses at the opposite ends 01' said shortened side Wall, said shortened side Walls having bosses fitting on top of each other to form a louver, a basket-like frame to hold said louver, said frame comprising a pair of parallel longitudinal members and a transverse cross member having a pair of shorter portions facing the ends of said frame, a pair of end plates removably attached to said frame, each of said end plates having mounted therein a bracket, said bracket tting over and holding the bosses of said louver sections together, and means comprising a pair of end brackets adjacent said end plates and removably attached to said end plates by a pair of pivots for removably attaching said louver to a iluorescent lighting fixture.

LESLIE K. SCI-IOENBROD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name` Date 2,280,534 Masterson et al. Apr.. 21, 1942 2,364,992 Maurette Dec. 12, 1944 2,381,630 Wakefield Aug. 7, 1945 2,392,306 Biller Jan. 8, 1946 2,466,223 Francis Apr. 5, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 587,744 Great Britain May 5, 1947 

